The House and Senate are in recess until Sept. 5. Tonight, in an attempt to pivot off of Charlottesville, the President will be addressing the nation to announce his strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia. Officials expect him to authorize an increase of about 4,000 U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan and to pressure Pakistan to stop aiding terrorists.

This afternoon, as you and your team are safely viewing the solar eclipse, don’t forget that your chance to earn the recognition your company has earned will also eclipse this week. The deadline to apply for ASA’s Safety Recognition Award is Friday, August 25. Distributors and Manufacturers have an opportunity to apply and gain the recognition their company deserves and works hard to achieve! Learn more here.

Roll Call Congress’ September agenda is packed with several must-pass bills that Republicans and Democrats are likely to look to as leverage for extracting concessions on other priorities.
With a short legislative calendar next month — only 12 days when both chambers are scheduled to be in session (the Senate has a few extra days on its timetable) — some measures could be packaged together, creating even more leverage and risk. READ MORE

The Hill Funding for President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall is poised to be a central issue in this fall’s showdown over government funding.
Unless Congress approves a new funding bill, the government will shut down on Oct. 1.
Trump is demanding funds for the wall that was the centerpiece of his successful presidential campaign, but Democrats have warned they will vote en masse against any legislation that includes money for the wall.READ MORE

PoliticoPresident Donald Trump is methodically building a 2020 reelection campaign machine, shunting aside doubts about his viability for a second term as controversy consumes the early months of his administration. President Donald Trump is methodically building a 2020 reelection campaign machine, shunting aside doubts about his viability for a second term as controversy consumes the early months of his administration.READ MORE

The Hill More than 100 lawmakers are urging the Trump administration to consider allowing oil and natural gas drilling in more areas off the coast of the United States.
In a Wednesday letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, the members said officials should consider a more expansive drilling programs when it rewrites a five-year leasing outline, a key goal for Zinke and President Trump.READ MORE

Roll Call When House Republicans passed their measure to repeal and replace the 2010 health care law in May, 20 members of their conference voted against it.
While some of them might be able to defend themselves against criticism by saying they voted against a historically unpopular bill, they could find themselves in the same political peril as Democrats who voted against the original health care bill in 2010.READ MORE